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Sleepers, breakouts, steals -- whatever you want to call them, your fantasy football draft cheat sheet wouldn't be complete without them. There are sleeper candidates pretty much everywhere throughout the 2018 rankings, but picking the right one takes a mix of research, sound draft strategy, confidence, luck, and sometimes, sheer insanity. It's not about where a player is picked so much as how productive they are. And that's why some believe it's never too early to pick a sleeper.

There are all different types of sleepers. A journeyman on a new team who finally finds the right situation; a rookie who exceeds expectations; or even the handcuff you drafted as insurance who turns into a top player himself. There are many candidates out there, but few succeed because of the crapshoot that is the NFL and fantasy football.

For this year, the sleeper options are plentiful as always. But they are just that: sleepers. They are players that you want to believe in; situations that you have to believe in. You have to be bold when going after sleepers, especially when you try to pick one from every team as we do every year.

There are 32 teams in the NFL, but not all have a great sleeper candidate. Either the players are too established or they're not really all that good. Of course, some have more than one, but we were forced to narrow it down. We definitely have a couple of stretches on this list, but sometimes it's the stretches that wind up working out.

All told, we have 14 receivers, nine running backs, six tight ends, two quarterbacks, and a defensive unit among this year's group. And odds are you're going to pound the table for one of them on draft night.

1Arizona Cardinals: TE Ricky Seals-Jones

Seals-Jones really came on toward the end of his rookie year with the Cardinals. Despite playing just under 12 percent of his team’s offensive snaps, Seals-Jones totaled 12 catches for 201 yards and a couple of scores. The former wide receiver did well transitioning to the tight end position, and he is favored to start there for the Cardinals in the upcoming season. Had Seals-Jones qualified for the yards-per-reception leader board, he would have ranked tops among tight ends and sixth in the league with 16.8 yards per catch. He’s a vertical playmaker with good size and seems like a perfect fit as a receiving tight end. Seals-Jones could be facing a possible suspension for an offseason arrest, but he shouldn't miss more than a game. -- Jacob Camenker

2Atlanta Falcons: WR Calvin Ridley

Ridley is joining an Atlanta offense that already has Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu. That should give him plenty of opportunities to find open space, and it will also place him in a pass-happy offense. Even in the run-oriented Alabama offense in college, he was a big-play threat, averaging 15.3 yards per catch in his final year with the Crimson Tide.

If Matt Ryan can regain some of the momentum from his MVP campaign in 2016, Ridley could see a lot of targets and become the team’s No. 2 receiver. Either way, Ridley will have a chance to be a role player on the Falcons offense, and he should be productive as a rookie. -- JC

3Baltimore Ravens: RB Buck Allen

Buck Allen emerged as the Ravens top receiving back during the 2017 season. He caught a career-high 46 passes and managed to rack up six total touchdowns, which was also a career best. Allen has consistently averaged about 3.8 yards per carry during his time in the NFL, but he still functional on the ground when needed, and his receiving ability is strong. This gives him upside and potential, as Alex Collins is far from a sure thing as a starter. If Allen can post over 800 scrimmage yards and six scores again, any fantasy owner would be happy to have him as a spot starter. At the very least, he has upside in PPR leagues. --JC

4Buffalo Bills: Defense/Special Teams

Buffalo's best sleeper option is probably any and all backup running backs, as LeSean McCoy's potential suspension will hang like a dark cloud over this team (and fantasy owners) until there is a conclusive ruling. For now, though, we'll go with the defense. With only 27 sacks last season, the Bills D/ST lacked the consistent upside you want in a fantasy defense, but the acquisitions of DT Star Lotulelei and first-round LB Tremaine Edmunds should strengthen the defense as a whole and free up other players to make more big plays. Buffalo's three returning starters in the secondary each had at least four interceptions last year, and if newcomer Vontae Davis is healthy, Buffalo will have a legit chance to lead the league in INTs. It doesn't hurt they get to play the Jets and Dolphins a combined four times either. --Matt Lutovsky

5Carolina Panthers: WR D.J. Moore

Moore was the first receiver off the board in the 2018 NFL Draft and will have a chance to be the No. 1 receiver on the Panthers, though Devin Funchess is currently penciled into that role. Moore averaged 13.9 yards per reception at Maryland and had his best season in 2017, logging 80 catches, eclipsing the 1,000 yard mark, and grabbing a career-best eight touchdowns. It may take him some time to get into the NFL groove, but Cam Newton will learn to love throwing to him. -- JC

6Chicago Bears: TE Trey Burton

Burton spent the first three years of his career buried as a backup for the Eagles. He saw a little action in 2016, but he moved into the primary backup role in 2017. He did well in place of an injured Zach Ertz last year, and that prompted the Bears to sign Burton to a big-time deal in the offseason. Burton should become one of Mitchell Trubisky’s top weapons, and he will get a chance to prove that he deserves more than the seven red-zone targets he got in 2017.

Last year, Chicago targeted its TEs 14 times in the red zone last year, which produced four TDs. Considering that Burton put up decent numbers as a backup, there’s a good chance that he will be able to improve upon his success as a full-time starter in the upcoming season. --JC

7Cincinnati Bengals: WR John Ross

Ross was the No. 9 overall pick by the Bengals in the 2017 draft. He only touched the ball once on a 12-yard run and fumbled at the end of it. That's not exactly an inspiring proposition for a fantasy sleeper. But, it's important to remember the slew of factors that could work in Ross' favor. He was a high draft pick, he spent a lot of his rookie season hurt, and the Bengals don't have much receiving talent outside of A.J. Green, especially after the team cut Brandon LaFell. Ross now has a clear path to the No. 2 job, and could emerge as a deep threat this year if he stays healthy. He's probably the only Bengals player that could be considered a legitimate sleeper with any upside, save for backup tight end Tyler Kroft (if Tyler Eifert misses significant time again). --JC

8Cleveland Browns: TE David Njoku

Don't let the "Browns sleeper" tag scare you away. Njoku led the Browns in red-zone targets last season with 10 and scored once despite playing most of the year with DeShone Kizer, the league’s worst red-zone quarterback (six interceptions inside the 20). With either Baker Mayfield or Tyrod Taylor starting, Njoku should have a better chance to be productive in the red zone, as both of those quarterbacks have been lauded for their accuracy and ball placement. That fact, coupled with Njoku’s 6-4 size and insane athletic ability, should help the 2017 first-round pick improve on what was a decent performance in his rookie season. --JC

9Dallas Cowboys: WR Allen Hurns

People forget that Hurns had a 1,000-yard, 10-TD season his second year in the NFL after being an undrafted free agent. He's tapered off the past two seasons, recording fewer than 500 yards in each campaign with only five total scores, but part of that is related to the fact that he missed 11 games. The Cowboys don’t have much receiving talent, and there is a wide open competition for their No. 1 receiver spot. Hurns should be favored because of his combination of experience and ability. If he does earn that role, he could a good chunk of the 132 targets that went to Dez Bryant last season. Coincidentally enough, 132 is the exact number of targets that Hurns has seen … over the past two seasons.

With more balls coming his way, Hurns could be productive, and he’s coming cheap in drafts for a potential No. 1 receiver. If he develops chemistry with Dak Prescott, he really could rise in the rankings during the preseason. Whether it's Hurns, rookie Michael Gallup, veteran Terrance Williams or someone else, you can bet a Cowboys receiver will step up at some point this year. --JC

10Denver Broncos: RB Royce Freeman

Freeman has good size (6-0, 229 pounds) and could immediately step in as Denver's goal-line back. He scored 64 total TDs (plus one passing) in his four-year career at Oregon, going for at least 16 rushing touchdowns in three of four seasons. Devontae Booker and De'Angelo Henderson both will be involved in Denver's backfield -- and both also have some sleeper appeal -- but it's easy to imagine a scenario where Freeman breaks through to become the lead back early in the season. If nothing else, he'll likely have value most weeks as a TD-or-bust guy in standard league. -- ML

11Detroit Lions: RB Kerryon Johnson

The Lions traded up to get Johnson in the second round of this year's draft, so it's clear they valued him, but after also signing LeGarrette Blount in the offseason, Johnson's role is TBD. Last season's SEC Offensive Player of the Year ran for 1,391 yards and scored 20 total TDs, and at 6-0, 213 pounds, he should be big enough to handle a feature back role if given one. But with Blount still dangerous near the goal line and Theo Riddick returning as a top receiving back, Johnson will have to earn a bigger role. If he does, he could be the lead back Detroit has seemingly been searching for since Barry Sanders retired. Tight end Luke Willson and wide receiver Kenny Golladay are also interesting sleepers in the Lions; passing game. --ML

12Green Bay Packers: WR Geronimo Allison

Anytime you find a player that might be a starting receiver for the Packers, you have to take a chance on him. This year, that may be Allison. During his rookie year in 2016, Allison played in 17 percent of the Packers snaps. Last year, that number nearly doubled to 33 percent.

With Jordy Nelson gone, Allison will take on more of a prominent role with the Packers and could do a bit more with extra playing time. He caught 23 passes for 253 yards while mostly working with Brett Hundley last year, so with Aaron Rodgers, Allison is a candidate for a big jump in production. This will be especially true if the Packers defense continues to be porous, forcing the offense to pass more to stay in games. --JC

13Houston Texans: RB D'Onta Foreman

If healthy, there's a good chance Foreman will take over as Houston's lead back at some point this season. The "if healthy" part is the key, as Foreman ruptured his Achilles' in Week 11 last year. His status for training camp is still up in the air. Foreman looked good before his injury last year, averaging 4.2 yards per carry and scoring twice in the game in which he was injured. He likely won't be used much in the receiving game, but as a pure runner, a healthy Foreman figures to be more effective than Lamar Miller and have plenty of value in Houston's dynamic offensive attack. (UPDATE: Foreman is likely to start the season on the PUP list. While this hurts his value at the start of the season, there is still a chance that he could emerge as a starter when healthy. Consider him on the waiver wire after the first month of the season.) --ML

14Indianapolis Colts: RBs Nyheim Hines/Jordan Wilkins

This might be a new "Thunder-and-Lightning" duo. Wilkins (6-1, 217 pounds) ran for 1,011 yards and nine TDs in his final season at Ole Miss, while Hines (5-9, 197 pounds) posted 1,113 yards and 12 TDs in his final season at NC State. Hines also proved to be an adept pass-catcher, totaling 89 receptions in his three-year college career.

With Marlon Mack and Robert Turbin returning as Indy's top two options at RB, there's a good chance Wilkins and/or Hines will get a chance to earn playing time at some point this year. Obviously, Wilkins profiles as more of a "lead back", but as we saw last year with Tarik Cohen, sometimes the receiving backs like Hines get a chance to shine earlier in the season. Both are worth stashing if you have the roster space. --ML

15Jacksonville Jaguars: WR Dede Westbrook

Westbrook was one of the many young receivers that stepped up last year for the Jaguars. He amassed 51 targets in just seven games, so it’s clear that Blake Bortles likes him. Given that there is no current pecking order in the Jaguars receiving corps, Westbrook has a very good chance to win a starting spot and establish himself across from Marqise Lee (Update: With Lee hurt in the Jaguars third preseason game, Westbrook has a chance to be the No. 1). It seems likely that those two will be the top dogs with Donte Moncrief and Keelan Cole competing for the No. 3 and No. 4 receiver slots. But of the young group, Westbrook looked the most polished and could see a leap in production heading into his second season. Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins could be considered the top sleeper here as well, but he's been a sleeper for the past couple of seasons and has never had the big jump in production that many fantasy players have hoped for. --JC

16Kansas City Chiefs: QB Patrick Mahomes II

If you’re looking for a wild card with enormous upside, Mahomes should be your guy. Mahomes saw just one week of action for the Chiefs last season in a meaningless Week 17 battle. In that game (and practice too), Andy Reid saw enough to move on from Alex Smith and make Mahomes his guy. Mahomes was a downfield gunslinger at Texas Tech and has drawn comparisons to Brett Favre from some. Mahomes’s cannon of an arm will pair well with speedsters Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins, and elite tight end Travis Kelce will join the cause as well. Mahomes’s great weaponry combined with his skill set will make him a real threat to be a breakout star much like Carson Wentz was last season. He’s worth taking as a high-upside backup who could become a starter down the line. --JC

17Los Angeles Chargers: WR Mike Williams

Williams dealt with back and knee injuries that kept him sidelined for a good chunk of his rookie campaign. He missed six games overall, made just one start, and only saw action on 22 percent of his snaps. With a full offseason to get healthy, Williams should have a good chance to emerge as a contributor on the Chargers offense. Aside from Keenan Allen, the Chargers don’t have a lot of proven weaponry. Tight end Hunter Henry was lost for the season to a torn ACL and the Chargers only have Virgil Green as a possible replacement. Williams has a chance to emerge as a No. 2 overall target with the Chargers and could become a red-zone threat given the team’s lack of depth at tight end and Williams’ 6-4 frame. (Update: Antonio Gates is back with the team and will take some red-zone targets.) For these reasons, Williams qualifies as a sleeper and definitely has upside. --JC

18Los Angeles Rams: TE Gerald Everett

It's kind of hard to find a true sleeper on the Rams' stacked roster. They traded for Brandin Cooks and signed him to an extension, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp both played well last year, Jared Goff greatly improved in his second season, and Todd Gurley was a workhorse en route to nearly winning the MVP. So, the only real potential for a sleeper on the Rams roster is at tight end, and Gerald Everett has upside as a former second-round pick. Everett averaged 15.3 yards per catch as a rookie and had one big outing against the Redskins in Week 2. He figures to be better with another season of development under his belt, and his athletic ability will give him a good chance to make some big plays for the Rams, especially if opposing defenses pay too much attention to the other receiving weapons the team has. --JC

19Miami Dolphins: WR Danny Amendola

Amendola is going to be the middle-of-the-field replacement for Jarvis Landry. That may not sound too promising, but Amendola is a lot better than people give him credit for. He averaged better than 10 yards per catch in four of his five seasons with the Patriots and caught 73.7 percent of his targets over the past three years. He should be a sure-handed option for Ryan Tannehill, and that’s something that Tannehill loves.

Given that the Dolphins have to replace Landry’s 112 receptions from last year, it seems quite possible that Amendola could have a big season. He could be in position to snag more than 65 balls for the first time since 2010, so that potential increase in volume may make him a consistent threat to generate yardage, especially if he can establish himself as Tannehill’s favorite receiver. Health is an issue, but Amendola could be a PPR machine if he stays in one piece. --JC

20Minnesota Vikings: RB Latavius Murray

Latavius Murray has totaled 20 rushing touchdowns over the course of the past two seasons with the Vikings and the Raiders. He did well in place of an injured Dalvin Cook last season, and while he's not much of a big-play threat, Murray is a great bruiser and can do damage on the goal line. It's possible that he could vulture some of those carries away from Cook, especially if the Vikings look to protect their young starter as he returns from a torn ACL. Murray might be a TD-or-bust type player, but he still provides value as a late-round handcuff. --JC

21New England Patriots: RB Sony Michel

We're all just guessing when it comes to the Patriots (except for Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski). Mike Gillislee, Rex Burkhead, and James White are still in the Pats backfield, but after drafting Michel in the first round this year, it would appear he's in prime position to eventually take over "lead back" duties (if there is such a thing in New England). The 5-11, 214-pound rookie averaged 7.9 yards per carry while scoring 16 TDs his senior season at Georgia, and for his career, he averaged 6.1 ypc while proving to be a capable receiver. The skill set is there, but opportunities might be inconsistent, especially with White seemingly locked into the "receiving back" role and Burkhead likely handling things around the goal line. --ML

22New Orleans Saints: WR Cameron Meredith

The former Bear had a very good season in 2016 when he performed well as a high-end No. 2 receiver (66 catches, 888 yards, four touchdowns). However, he was let go this offseason after missing the ‘17 campaign with a torn ACL and MCL. Meredith has plenty of upside, and he projects to be a great fit in the Saints offense. New Orleans need someone to replace the departed Willie Snead, and while Meredith won’t be a slot player, he can play outside while Ted Ginn sees more action on the inside. Thanks to Drew Brees’s great ball placement, Meredith should be able to catch a lot of passes. His 6-3 frame should make him a red-zone threat, especially in a run-heavy offense that will get a chance to throw some one-on-one jump balls to outside receivers. Meredith has a legitimate chance to set career highs in yardage and touchdowns, so he shouldn’t be a forgotten man across from Michael Thomas. --JC

23New York Giants: WR Cody Latimer

It's really hard to find a likeable sleeper on the Giants roster. They're a team that consists both of big-name talent like Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon Barkley, and Evan Engram, and washed-up backups and players that have never been heard of. The one exception on their team is Cody Latimer. Sure, Latimer has barely done anything during his four year NFL career, but the former second-round pick is coming off his best season. He logged 19 catches for 287 yards and two scores in his final year in Denver, all career-high numbers, and that was with some very poor quarterback play. Eli Manning isn't a major upgrade, but perhaps Latimer could turn into the No. 3 receiver that the Giants were searching for when they signed Brandon Marshall last year. Either way, it's hard to find another sleeper on the Giants roster that has nearly as much upside as Latimer does for the upcoming season. --JC

24New York Jets: QB Sam Darnold

Darnold comes from more of a pro-style passing offense at USC and should be more ready for the NFL than most of the other rookies. Darnold needs to prove that he can avoid turnovers, as he threw 13 interceptions and fumbled 12 times during his final collegiate season, but given his strong start to the preseason, he might be playing more than expected this year. If Darnold is starting in Week 1, he has some upside considering his likely dirt-cheat price tag in fantasy. He certainly won't be a QB1 right away, but he's a potential bye-week fill-in who could start in the right matchups.

25Oakland Raiders: WR Jordy Nelson

After consecutive seasons in which he posted at least 13 touchdowns, Nelson took a massive step backward in 2017. Two years removed from a major knee injury, it was assumed that Nelson would be back to full strength and could improve upon his excellent '16 campaign. Instead, he regressed badly and struggled to find any rhythm once Aaron Rodgers was injured. Nelson will now try his luck as the No. 2 receiver across from Amari Cooper. Nelson is taking over for Michael Crabtree, who totaled at least eight touchdowns in each of his three years in Oakland, so he could fill a similar role as a red-zone contributor. Considering that Nelson is being drafted as the 34th receiver, he could be a major steal in drafts as a red-zone threat. He may be a bigger name, but his TD production compared to his draft spot certainly makes him an intriguing sleeper. --JC

26Philadelphia Eagles: RB Corey Clement

Clement played well in limited duty last season, averaging 4.3 yards per carry and 12.3 yards per reception. He could easily slide into the "Darren Sproles" role (even though Sproles is healthy and back with the Eagles) and should also get more carries with LeGarrette Blount gone. Considering Blount ran 173 times last year (including 31 times inside the red zone), Clement's ceiling is higher than you might think, especially when you remember that Jay Ajayi is far from a sure thing as the "lead back." --ML

27Pittsburgh Steelers: TE Vance McDonald

The Steelers traded for McDonald, a former second-round pick out of Rice, in late August just before the 2017 season. As a result, McDonald was limited in his role early on in his Steelers career and backed up Jesse James for the first half of the season. Gradually, McDonald was given more responsibility and posted a couple of four-catch, 52-yard performances toward the end of the season. He’s favored to win the starting job over James for the upcoming season, but the Steelers may prefer to mix them both in equally. For that reason, it's really a "take your pick" regarding the sleeper at tight end for Pittsburgh. --JC

28San Francisco 49ers: TE George Kittle

Kittle is definitely a player to keep an eye on as a potential sleeper. He had a very good rookie season despite playing just six games with the talented Jimmy Garoppolo. Before that, he had to endure starters such as Brian Hoyer and CJ Beathard. During the season, Kittle quietly saw 16 red-zone targets but only scored twice. Fully healthy and getting the chance to work with Garoppolo for a full season, Kittle’s upside is high. He could be one of the next upper-tier TEs, especially considering his ability to produce yards after the catch (271, sixth best among TEs). --JC

29Seattle Seahawks: WR Jaron Brown

Almost any player in the Seahawks receiver room could have a breakout year. Doug Baldwin is still the alpha dog, but there are several players competing for a spot across from him, including Brown, Tyler Lockett, Brandon Marshall, and former third-round pick Amara Darboh. Pete Carroll will play anoyone he thinks should start regardless of their contract, so it's really anyone's guess as to who the man will be. That said, Brown is our guy for now. Brown had 1,053 air yards last year and has been a big-play receiver thanks to his combination of quickness and height. He could be a sneaky pickup late in the draft or on the waiver wire at the beginning of the season. --JC

30Tampa Bay Buccaneers: RB Ronald Jones

Jones seems destined to emerge from the Bucs RB logjam and see regular touches at some point this season. He ran for at least 987 yards in all three seasons at USC, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and scoring 42 total touchdowns. At 5-11, 208 pounds, Jones has decent size and should be able to handle 15-plus touches per game. He's unlikely to do much as a receiver, but he'll still have value when and if he gets a job. Peyton Barber is a better early-season sleeper, but Jones still has long-term value. --ML

31Tennessee Titans: WR Corey Davis

The Titans need a No. 1 receiver to emerge in the near future, and that's exactly why they targeted Davis with a high draft pick last year. He struggled with hamstring injuries as a rookie and was limited to just 11 games, but he has the pedigree of a top pick and a solid 6-3 frame that should make him a red-zone weapon. He didn’t catch any touchdowns last season, but he should have a chance to do more in 2018, especially with Marcus Mariota bound to improve after escaping Mike Mularkey’s exotic smashmouth offense. --JC

32Washington Redskins: WR Josh Doctson

Doctson missed almost all of his rookie season after straining his Achilles, so 2017 was realistically his first year at full strength against NFL competition. By the end of the year, Doctson became more of a red-zone threat, receiving 15 targets, 11 of which came in the final two months of the season, and scoring four times. He finished the year with 502 yards and six scores.

Doctson isn’t getting as much love as he deserves for the upcoming season. With a more accurate red-zone passer, Alex Smith, in the fold, Doctson could have a chance to score more. Near the goal line, Doctson will probably be one of the team's top targets because of his 6-2 size. Touchdown threats are always nice to have in fantasy, and it’s possible that Doctson could end up scoring far more than many anticipate.